The Civil Rights drama, which grossed $169 million in U.S. theaters, narrowly beat Warner’s The Hangover Part II, which grossed $254.5 million over the summer. The comedy sequel debuted at No. 2 on First Alert, but topped Nielsen’s dedicated Blu-ray disc sales chart its first week in stores. The Hangover Part II generated 44% of its first-week sales from Blu-ray disc, compared with 24% for The Help, Nielsen data shows.

A third theatrical blockbuster that was newly released on disc, Universal's Cowboys & Aliens ($100.2 million), bowed at No. 3 on First Alert and No. 2 on the Blu-ray Disc chart, one notch ahead of The Help. The film generated 55% of its first-week sales from Blu-ray disc.

Joining the new release fray was 20th Century Fox’s Mr. Popper’s Penguins, a modest theatrical success with a $68.2 million theatrical gross that debuted at No. 5 on First Alert and No. 6 on the Blu-ray disc chart. The Blu-ray disc sales tally: 19% of total unit sales.

The previous week’s top seller, Sony Pictures’ The Smurfs, slipped to No. 4 on both sales charts.

On Home Media Magazine’s rental chart for the week, the top spot went to Sony Pictures’ Friends with Benefits, which rose to the top after bowing at No. 4 the previous week. The Help debuted at No. 2; the three other new releases are from studios that delay issuing product to Netflix and Redbox by 28 days, so none of them charted.